


Best IWWOC Ever

by TrinityEverett



Series: What Happens in AC [2]
Category: Castle
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2015-11-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 09:21:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10851045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrinityEverett/pseuds/TrinityEverett
Summary: How Castle and Beckett went from working together to waking up together. A What Happens in AC prequel.





	Best IWWOC Ever

**Best IWWOC Ever**

**A _What Happens in AC_ prequel**

**Caskett**

**T**

_**_This one's for everyone who asked to see more in the AC universe. I hope you enjoy it._ **   
_

* * *

The bar is quieter than she expected it to be.

Sure, Atlantic City isn't quite Vegas, but by casino standards, this place is downright tame. Where are the showgirls? Where is the raucous laughter? Where is the debauchery that signifies it's going to be a _good_ night for someone? Aside from the faraway clack of chips and the gleeful sounds of the penny slot machines, they could be anywhere, even The Old Haunt.

Suffice to say, it's not quite the flash and flare she would've expected from Richard Castle showing off for the boys. Then again, he's nothing if not a constant surprise.

The Elvis costume is proof of that.

(And she'll never admit to him, but he did look _good_ in it - broad shouldered, confident, sexy - even if some of it got lost in the glitter, sequins, and tassels.)

And speaking of tassels…

"Are you guys having a bachelor party while you're working a case?" She tilts her head, lifting an eyebrow at the boys before turning a special look to Castle. Her partner squirms beside her, knocking their knees together in the process. She can't help but bump back, press her quad against his a little bit tighter, just to watch his reaction.

He doesn't rise to the bait, feigning insult at her comment instead.

"What? Who told you that? Beckett, that is an outrageou -"

"Castle," she cuts him off, shaking her head. "I know the three of you, remember?"

His chin lifts even as his lip juts out, and for a moment, he's all defiant little boy instead of a grown man.

"Uh huh, so?" he asks. "We worked first."

Around the table, Ryan sighs. "I got stuck asking Jenny's 16 year old cousin to be my best man. Which means… "

Ah, the pieces fall into place. "PG-13 fun at the highest," she supplies, lifting her beer to her lips.

The three of them nod as one.

"Right. So _Castle_ here thought that since we were here anyway, we might as well take advantage of the sights and have ourselves a sort of pre-bachelor party bachelor party."

"An IBPWOC," Castle supplies, tapping her elbow with his on his way to grab the pitcher and refill his pint glass. "Impromptu Bachelor Party While on Case," he adds for her benefit, clinking his glass against Esposito's before he sits back.

"Of course." Beckett rolls her eyes, smoothing a bead of condensation over her glass. "So what _are_ your plans for your IB-whatever?"

Espo shakes his head. "Sorry, Beckett. No girls allowed."

He ducks the balled up napkin she hurls his way. "I wasn't asking because I want to come, Espo. I'm asking because I need to know if I'm going back to New York on my own in the morning."

"Oh. Ah, well, we really haven't even gotten started…" he hedges, looking at both Castle and Ryan for assistance. "And this _is_ for our boy Ryan here, so…"

"We will make it up to you in so many ways," Castle adds, jumping in. "With paperwork! Well, not me, because I can't, but the boys will. Paperwork and a day off for a day off. Seems fair, right?"

The boys snort. "Yeah, for you. You don't have to do anything."

"Ah, but technically she's not covering for me. In fact, I think Gates would _rather_ have me stay here than go back with Beckett."

Yeah, he has a point there. Even if he is kind of a traitor for not putting up more of a fight to stay with her, he has a point.

"Uh huh. So I'll go back in the morning and finish this case, and you'll do my paperwork and cover for me on any day of my choosing, within reason of course."

They share a look, grumbling in Castle's direction before nodding. "Deal."

Ryan downs the rest of his beer. "So what's Castle agreeing to do for you?"

Interesting question. She turns to find her partner watching her, his gaze downright devious.

"I can think of plenty of ways to repay you, Beckett. Just say the word."

Heat rises in her belly, the flare of want threatening to overpower the part of her brain that warns her to be careful, not to betray too much right now. Not while she's still healing.

"What a hardship for you, Castle," she drawls, tamping down the urge to call his bluff. "I don't suppose being quiet is on that list, is it?"

"Could be. Depending on what you have in mind." His eyebrows wiggle in return.

" _Anyway_ ," she begins, turning back to Ryan and Esposito. "I'll take care of things at home while you play. If Gates asks, I'll tell her you're smoothing things over down here. You know how she is about making sure things look good for the department."

"Thanks, Beckett."

"Yeah, thanks. You're the best." Ryan offers her a genuine smile. Kate returns it easily, knocking back the last of her beer. Ryan does deserve the chance to kick back; wedding preparation has obviously been wearing on him. Not getting to pick his best man seems like it's just adding insult to injury.

"I know."

All three of them chuckle, offering her the last of the pitcher. Nodding, she passes the glass to Castle to pour. She's just going back to her room after this; there's no real reason not to finish it off.

"Thanks." They sip in silence for a few minutes, letting the sounds of the casino act as entertainment. "So where are you headed after this?"

Ryan and Castle open their mouths to answer, only to be stopped when Espo jumps in first.

"Hey now, you know the rules of bachelor parties, Beckett."

"Actually I don't," she quips, swiping at the condensation on her glass. "Being that I'm not a bachelor party aficionado."

Javi narrows his eyes at her. "It's against the rules to talk about it. Besides, what happens here stays here."

"Uh huh. You know the saying goes 'What Happens in _Vegas_ Stays in Vegas,' right? There's nothing about Atlantic City anywhere in there."

Castle's shoulder shakes with laughter, but he stays suspiciously silent.

"Alright, fine. Don't tell me. In any case, it's probably time for you to go, isn't it?"

They look at their watches. "Ah, yeah. Yeah it is. Castle got us tickets to… a thing."

"Uh huh." She lowers her chin, giving her partner a sideways glance. "In that case, go on. Meet you for breakfast in the morning?"

"Sure. We'll touch base before you head back to the city."

She nods, watching them scoot to the edge of the round booth. "Have fun."

Castle stands, twisting to face her. "Are you staying here?"

Offering him a smile, she nods again. "For a few minutes anyway. I might get something to eat and take it to my room, so I'll take care of the bill. See you in the morning."

An emotion she can't quite decipher - hesitance? Regret? - flickers across his face, but he nods. "Okay."

"Okay," she echoes, tilting her head toward the boys. "They're waiting for you. Go on, Castle."

"Right. Right. See you…in the morning."

Kate waggles her fingers in dismissal, reaching for the bar menu instead of watching him jog to catch up with Ryan and Esposito.

She's not disappointed. She isn't.

There's no reason to be disappointed anyway; if she hadn't made the choice to drive down tonight, she wouldn't have seen him at all. Not seeing him for the rest of the evening (which will probably be pretty short for her if she doesn't perk up) is not the end of the world. It's not like they're joined at the hip - or like they need to be.

Still, spending time with him is fun. It's usually wacky and out there, and it gives her hope that she can actually start to make up for this past summer and hurting him the way she did. And, no offense to Lanie, he has become her first call, even when she just wants to relax quietly with someone.

He's not just her partner. He's one of her best friends.

"Kay, I'm back. What are we ordering? I dunno about you, Beckett, but I am _starving_. Wanna get burgers and split some fries with me?"

Blinking, Kate looks up to find Castle squirming back into the booth. His lips curl into a lopsided grin, ignoring her surprise in favor of scooting around the curve until their shoulders touch once again.

"Castle? Weren't you… I thought you had plans?"

"Oh yeah, I told them I'd meet them in a little bit. I can't do what we've planned on an empty stomach."

Translation: He didn't want to go just yet.

Delight surges in her chest, lifting her lips and opening her mouth before she can manage to contain it. "Ah."

She composes herself, somewhat. "So you're inviting yourself to my dinner?"

"Kinda, yeah." He grins, his unrepentant joy more boyish than mature in the dim light. "But if it makes you feel better about the intrusion, I'll buy."

"Uh huh. Get the large fries if we're sharing. Whenever you're 'starving,' you always eat most of them." She makes quotation marks with her fingers, throwing a smirk his way.

Her partner chuckles. "I do, don't I? Large fries it is. Split another pitcher?"

Shaking her head, she taps the water glass in front of her. "Just this for the rest of the night. I'd rather not drive home with a headache in the morning."

"And here I thought you could hold your alcohol, Detective."

Her eyes narrow. "Shut up, I can take you."

"Whenever you'd like. You will hear zero arguments from me." She'll give him credit for the immediate response, cliché as it is.

"Funny. Anyway, I haven't been keeping up with my keg stands lately. The uh, the medications from the summer… they made it hard to drink much. Plus, I am exhausted tonight. So you might actually have a chance this time, Castle."

She's trying for light, trying to show him that she is working to move beyond the summer, but the stricken look on his face tells her she's probably accomplished exactly the opposite. His smile has faded, and worry and hurt war in his eyes.

"Pain meds?" he asks finally, taking a hearty gulp of his water to hide the crack in his voice.

Oh, Castle.

"Mhmm, a few of them at first. So obviously my drinking team skills atrophied a bit." Her fingers curl around his forearm, giving it a gentle squeeze. It's enough to turn his lips upward, at least, and she matches his smile.

"Then it's not a very fair match at this point, is it?"

She smiles wider, slipping her fingers down his arm to tap the back of his hand. "You say that like you're a powerhouse, but how many drinks did it take to make riding that police horse in the nude sound like a good idea?"

"Hush, Beckett."

They both laugh, though, and the heaviness dissipates once more. One day she'll tell him everything about the summer; how badly she missed him, how her fingers itched to call him each day, how badly she wanted to hear his voice or see his face, all of it in spite of the shape she was in.

Ordering their impromptu dinner only takes a few seconds, and they settle into a comfortable silence once more.

"You know, I'm a little bit surprised that you've never bragged about that. Well, more than you did the night we met."

Castle's eyebrow lifts, a perfectly innocent mask sliding across his face. "About what?"

"Oh come on, Castle. About the horse." Twisting, she tugs her knee onto the cushion between them. "I've read the police report, but 'it was spring' is not a story."

He tilts his head. "You really want to know?"

There's no challenge to his words, only genuine surprise.

Her brow furrows a bit. Why wouldn't she want to know?

"Uh huh. I asked, didn't I?"

"That's fair."

"Uh huh. So were you at a party? Was a dare involved? I know you can't resist those," she teases giving his thigh a gentle nudge.

He chuckles, taking a hearty sip of his water. Ah, stalling. Still, her eyes follow the line of his throat, the bob of his Adam's apple when he swallows.

"I was showing off for a girl -"

"Shocking," Kate interrupts, catching her tongue between her teeth at his glare. It lacks the fire to say he's actually offended, though, and she nods for him to go on without offering any apology.

"I was at a party, yes. One of the circuit events like you and I went to that time, and I met a delightful young woman while I was at the bar. We talked, we danced, we enjoyed the company of the bartender perhaps more than we should have… So when she suggested getting out of there, I said sure."

"Sounds reasonable."

"It does?"

"Mmm, you were both adults - at least in physical age. She was an adult, right?"

"Funny, Beckett. _Yes_ , we were both legal adults. Anyway, as we were strolling out of the gala, she decided she wanted to go to 'the most romantic place in the park,' and I, yet again, agreed."

He'd wanted to get into the woman's pants; of course he had. She nods, encouraging him to continue.

"So we were walking along the path and we saw the horse tethered outside the restroom. I guess the officer had needed to take a break. Being me, I asked what she thought might happen if we were to borrow the horse for our own romantic horseback ride. She thought it was a great idea, but suggested that we do it as Lady Godiva would. I think we'd been talking about her earlier in the evening or something, but that's where the idea came from."

Kate laughs, shaking her head. He could be making all of this up, using her eagerness to listen to one of his stories against her, but she just knows he's not. As fantastical as it sounds, she believes him.

"Eager to please, I stripped down first, and - what?" he stops abruptly, twisting to face her.

Heat singes her cheeks. Oh, she'd - she held onto his arm a little tighter at that idea. At the image of him shimmying out of a designer tux not unlike the one she'd seen him in years ago.

"Nothing. Nothing, go on."

"If you'd like the practical demonstration, Beckett, we can take our food to go and head back to my room."

Yanking her hand away from him, her fingers close around her water glass. The chill helps temper her want. "That won't be necessary. Finish the story."

Mirth sparkles in his eyes at her denial.

"So yes, I stripped down and climbed up. I reached down to help her up and realized she was still fully dressed. When I asked her why, she said she wanted to admire the view for a bit. Considering I wanted to show off, it was a good enough answer for me. So I said I'd make a lap around the park and come pick her up."

Oh God, she can already see where this is going. Smothering a grin with her hand, she nods.

"Uh huh. I took off - painfully, I might add - and when I came back, not only was she gone, but my clothes and my wallet were too. And the officer had returned from his bathroom break."

The cackle splits from her lips before she has the chance to stop it. Thankfully, Castle laughs, too, finding amusement in his own misfortune.

Once they calm, he continues, "I found my stuff up on eBay a few days later. My clothes, my wallet - no cards, cash, or ID, thankfully - the notebook I carried in my pocket, all of it. Guess she figured I wouldn't know what she'd done if I was in jail."

Pressing a hand to her belly, Kate tries to contain another chuckle. "I'm sorry, Castle. That's… wow. So suffice to say, she didn't get a second date…"

"Oh she did."

Her eyes cut to him. "She what?"

His nose crinkles just before he laughs. "Kidding. But you should've seen your face for a second there."

"Jackass," she mutters, swatting at his arm. His hand drops to her leg as she squirms beside him.

"A little bit, yeah," he agrees, squeezing her knee. The familiarity in the gesture, the comfort, isn't lost on her, but she ignores the stutter of her heart and relishes in it instead of shaking him off.

"Yeah, try a lot. Did you get your stuff back?"

"Eventually. We had to contact eBay and send in the police report and jump through about a dozen hoops. I'd cancelled all of the credit cards already, and did my time in line at the DMV, but getting the pictures of Alexis and the notebook was really what was important."

"I bet." Partier or not, he's proven time and again that his daughter is his top priority.

Castle offers her a lopsided smile. "So that's my story."

"Mmm, that was different than I expected."

"Well, I am full of surprises, Detective. I am full of surprises."

That he is. That he is.

* * *

"So how is Ryan doing anyway?" she asks sometime later, after their burgers are long gone and they've settled for dragging their fingertips around a nearly empty basket of fries whenever there's a lull in conversation. She's starting to fade. Her morning began too early after a sleepless night, and the drive combined with a general contentedness makes her lean a bit more heavily in her partner's direction.

Castle turns his head, looking her over. She offers a quick smile, gesturing for him to answer the question instead of fuss over her.

"With wedding stuff? Except for the best man thing, he's okay. More ready to get it over with than anything else, I think."

Kate nods, grappling for a tiny fry. "Kinda sad, though. It's supposed to be something for both of you, and it ends up being so stressful at least one of you just wants to get in, get out, and get it done."

He smiles, looking impossibly tender for just a moment. "Pretty romantic notion, Beckett."

One of her shoulders lifts.

"I can be romantic. But I just mean it feels so contrary to what getting married is supposed to be about. I don't know; I'm not really one for china patterns and magazines full of gauzy photos of love-struck brides looking off into the distance. No offense to Jenny, of course. I just guess I'd want to find a way to make sure my groom isn't miserable on what's supposed to be a magical day for both of us."

Castle's lips curl again. "I think it's still a magical day. I just think sometimes it's easy for the minutiae to become overwhelming, no matter how excited you are for it."

"Yeah," she concurs, dipping her head. She's been a bridesmaid enough times to see that.

"How was it for your weddings?"

His eyebrows jump a bit. She doesn't blame him for his surprise; they don't exactly talk like this often. "Um, well, with Meredith, I was at the age where I wanted to flaunt everything. I had my hands in everything and we went big because we could. It was less about two people in love and more about two people making a statement."

Nodding, she reaches for her water.

"And the second time?"

He looks thoughtful for a moment. "In hindsight the fact that I was hands off probably said a lot."

"Knowing how much you love planning things? Probably."

Castle chuckles. He does love planning things and they both know it.

"But I think there's a difference between being hands off because you're not interested, and being hands off or ready to get it over with because anything is good and you just want to marry the love of your life and not worry about the details. And I think Ryan's the latter."

"Me too," she hums, lowering her chin a bit.

He shifts beside her, reaching for the basket and offering her one of the last few fries. She takes it, patting his hand in thanks.

"Would you ever get married again?"

The words fly out of her mouth before she has the chance to process what she's saying. What she's asking.

"Hmm?" He heard her, she knows. If nothing else, the pink tinge of his cheeks gives him away.

"Would you do it again? Or does the idea of it really fill you with dread?"

Yeah, maybe it's unfair to bring up his words to Espo from the other day, but it _is_ a legitimate question. He said he loves her, he does love her, and when - _if_ \- they ever get to that point…

He chuckles, shaking his head. "It doesn't. Not really. The idea of it ending badly again? That does. But not getting married in general."

She nods. "Yeah. Yeah, I know what you mean. Kind of."

Different situation, same desire to avoid hurt.

Castle nods, licking his lips. She feels his shoulder lift as he inhales. "I would do it all over again, though. With the right person, I would. I will," he fumbles, squaring his shoulders as if he's gathering his courage. "When she's ready."

His eyes lock on hers, blazing cobalt underneath the bar lights. Slipping her open palm under his, she feels the blush rise to her own cheeks. Her heart thunders against her sternum, the promise hitting home.

When the right person is _ready_.

When _she's_ ready.

When she - Kate Beckett - is ready.

It isn't a deathbed confession, it isn't a jealous outburst because another writer has looked her way. He wants to - shit, he wants to marry her. For good, forever.

God, she wants that, too. She wants that so badly.

Suddenly, she's not so tired anymore.

"Tonight," she blurts, her eyes never leaving his. "I'm… tonight, Castle."

He blinks first, perplexed. "I'm - Beckett, what?"

Her hand locks around his, firm, not backing down. It sounds like a crazy idea - it _is_ a crazy idea, but they can do it. It may not be Vegas, but it's still Atlantic City. If Castle can find Elvis costumes on demand, surely someone can marry them at 9 o'clock at night.

She's done insane things before, but this… she wants this - him - more than the motorcycle, more than any college party, so much more than a wall in her heart.

"Marry me," she breathes, spelling it out so there's no chance for misinterpretation. "Marry me tonight."

His thumb slips over hers. "Kate, is there something stronger than water in your glass?"

Laughing, she shakes her head. "Shut up. You know there's not. I just… let's get married."

Her body thrums, eager, hopeful.

"You're, wait you're serious? You're not messing with me?"

She nods, lifting a hand to cup his face. "I'm not going to steal your clothes and put them on eBay, Castle."

Her partner laughs, sweeping his eyes over her face. He must find whatever he's searching for in her gaze, because he beams a moment later, nodding with vigor.

"Yes."

* * *

They agree to split up to take care of everything in the shortest amount of time possible.

Castle volunteers to get the rings, leaving her to handle filling out their paperwork. He'll be back in time to give her the opportunity to freshen up (and add anything she doesn't know how to answer) before their late appointment, but for now she's on her own.

Technically, they shouldn't even be able to get a license to get married tonight, but somehow her partner - her future husband - has a guy for this, too. One call and Castle's friend directed them here. The only place in Atlantic City that takes advantage of a tiny loophole in the law and offers 'quickie weddings.'

As long as it's legal, she doesn't care. They can deal with a little extra bureaucracy. She just won't mention she's a cop unless necessary.

The pen catches on a bump in the paper, pulling her from her contemplation. She gives the page a slow look. The form is nearly complete, pending a review by her partner, their signatures, and the signatures of their witnesses.

It's comforting, actually, to see how much of Castle's information she knows. He's her partner, not a stranger, she knows him, and she loves him. Even if she sucks at showing him that, she loves him.

She's going to marry him tonight.

An hour ago, she was ready to sleep; now she's not sure she could doze off if she tried.

An hour from now - hopefully - she'll be married to her partner. Her stomach flutters, anticipation and nervousness fighting for the top spot, eager to take home the prize.

Oh God, she's getting married tonight.

And she's marrying the man opening the door of the former tattoo parlor. Castle's eyes scan the room once before landing on her, his face lighting up with an awe that steals the breath from her throat.

He's so happy.

"Hey," he breathes, practically skidding across the floor to land on the plastic chair beside hers.

"Hey," she echoes. Tugging her lower lip between her teeth, she takes a moment to calm the frantic rush of her blood. "I um, I finished the paperwork, mostly. Check everything over?"

She thrusts the clipboard at him, ducking her head to hide her bashful smile. Castle's fingers curl around hers, somehow soothing even as her heart pounds.

"Here," she adds, handing him the pen. "There were obviously some things I didn't know. So you're going to need to add them."

"That's okay," he says, smoothing his palm over her knee. Her skin tingles at the touch, even through her blue jeans. "You did great."

"Thanks." She twists, leaning her cheek against his shoulder for a moment. "Did you -?"

"Uh huh. Mission accomplished."

"Did it require the Elvis costume?" she teases. He still has glitter on his neck from earlier, despite his efforts to rid himself of the craft supply.

Castle chuckles, shaking his head. "Just a friendly smile and a credit card this time, Beckett. But I'm keeping your enjoyment of the costume in mind."

"Shush. Sign your name."

He does with a flourish she can only assume was inherited from his mother before he settles back in his chair.

"Do we need to turn this in somewhere?"

She shakes her head. "No, no we just hold onto it until they call our names."

"Kay."

"Castle?" she asks after a moment of quiet.

"Hmm?"

"Can I see the rings?"

"Oh!" He jolts, reaching out to stop her from lifting the bag from between his feet. "Ah, um, can it be a surprise?"

Her stomach flutters. He wants to surprise her with her wedding ring. Sweet man. A little concerning, given their pranking history, but sweet nonetheless.

"Kay," she accepts. "Don't show me yet." Her cheek brushes the seam of his jacket once more as she settles in to people watch with him.

If he's surprised by her affection, he doesn't show it. Instead, he lowers his mouth to her hair, murmuring a comment about two of the other couples waiting across the room.

Kate hides a chuckle behind a cough. She's not mocking them, not really. It's the fact that her partner can name multiple members of the cast of _Real Housewives of New Jersey_ , and knows them well enough to wonder if the kids across from them are related.

"Well it is New Jersey." She grins, glancing up at him from under her lashes.

Castle laughs, giving her knee a gentle squeeze.

She jumps when a couple crashes into the waiting area, whooping at the top of their lungs in celebration. Castle's hand tightens on her leg, grounding her more than she wants to admit, and she's able to focus on the _very_ pregnant teal-haired bride and her orange mohawked groom. Her hands come up, joining the room in a round of applause for the newlyweds.

Her partner beams, nodding to the couple as they pass. "Congratulations."

They grin, swaying together. "You, too."

"Thanks," Beckett murmurs, cutting her eyes to Castle only to have a streak of purple pull her attention back to the bride.

The girl offers her a sweet smile, holding out her bouquet. "Here, these will look badass with your outfit. I _love_ the leather."

"I, ah, thank you. Don't you want to keep your bouquet though? It's beautiful."

"It's good luck to pass it on. Plus, he's allergic. He sneezed fifty times during our vows."

Dumbly, Kate nods and relieves the bride of the flowers. "Thank you."

They couple beams, lacing their fingers and sharing a sloppy kiss before disappearing out the front door.

Turning to Castle, she holds up the flowers. "Look, I caught the bouquet. Sort of."

* * *

Half an hour later she stands in front of the least likely wedding officiant she has ever seen and his wife, fidgeting in anticipation. She's already passed the bouquet over in favor of cradling Castle's hands in both of hers, and she just hopes he can't feel the way her fingers tremble.

He gives her knuckles a delicate squeeze, letting her feel the shake of his own hands even as serenity washes over his face. They're in this together. Excitement, nerves, and all.

"Shall we begin?"

Castle breaks the spell first, puffing a laugh and a nod in their officiant's direction. "Please. We're ready."

"We're ready." She nods in agreement, holding tighter to her partner's hands.

"For some, life is a straight line, a clearly marked path we can take and arrive where we want to be succinctly and efficiently. For others, the line twists, turns, and sometimes circles back on itself a time or two before leading us to the place we need to be. Marriage is the latter path, the path of zigs and zags, and sometimes being left without a map that makes any sense. But the joy of being on this path is that, even when you're doubling back and passing the same scenery a few times, you're never walking alone."

Her heart surges. She hasn't walked alone since the day Castle steamrolled his way into her life and claimed that chair beside her desk. Through petty arguments and anger, misunderstandings and frustration, laughter, tears, and bad takeout, he's been there. Walking with her.

And he'll keep walking with her.

Until she gets where she needs to be - until _they_ get where they need to be.

"Do you, Katherine, take Richard to be your husband? To love him and care for him each day of your lives? To walk at his side on the twisted road that is your journey through the universe, until you reach your destination together?"

O-oh, shit. They're at this part already?

She squeaks her first response, lowering her eyes when Castle's chuckle rumbles around the room.

"Sorry," she breathes, clearing her throat and lifting her chin once more. Her partner looks on; his eyes rich with love, pure love. "I do."

She fumbles with the ring; needing two tries to slip the band down his finger. Once she succeeds, her thumb slides over the cool metal, infusing it with everything she's terrible at saying.

God, Richard Castle is her husband.

"And do you, Richard, take Katherine to be your wife? To love her and care for her each day of your lives? To walk at her side on the twisted road that is your journey through the universe, until you reach your destination together?"

Castle simply nods at first, sucking in a shaky breath before he rasps, "I do. Of course I do."

Their foreheads touch as he slides her wedding band - her _wedding_ band - down her finger, somehow managing to make it efficient and a caress all at once. The ring is simple, but breathtaking. It looks to be platinum, maybe white gold, and it settles into the groove of her finger like it belongs there. Like it's an extension of her.

Just like he is.

"Then, by the power vested in me by this great universe – as well as the state of New Jersey – I now pronounce you married. You may now attempt to sear the paint off these walls with your kiss."

Castle laughs, but she doesn't need to be told twice. She reaches for her partner, breathing him in for mere seconds before covering his mouth with hers. He recovers quickly, opening under lips, pouring everything of himself into the kiss, every hope, every fear, every bit of love.

Her breath hitches, gentling them both before they go too far. Castle's hand swipes along her back as he takes one more press from her lips. They blink together, eyes glassy, wet with the rush of what they've done.

"Best IWWOC ever," he husks finally, grinning at her confusion. "Impromptu Wedding While On Case, Beckett. Best one ever."

Of course.

Her lips turn up anyway, even as her eyes roll, and she takes another kiss from him because now she _can_. "Better be your only impromptu wedding while on a case, Castle."

Laughing, he draws her in for - of all things - a bear hug. She sinks into him, banding her arms around his waist and pressing her face into the warmth of his dress shirt. His heart thumps steadily under her ear, soothing her nerves, calming her excitement.

They stay that way for a little while, giving their witnesses time to sign the paperwork and deliver instructions for what to do next, how to make this one hundred percent official. The thought sends a zing up her spine, tightening her arms, pressing her closer to her husband.

Her husband.

Once they've initialed a few more forms and made a call to Castle's lawyer to alert him of an impending fax, her partner's hand slips down her arm, reaching for her fingers.

She gives him her hand, watching as their palms kiss before lifting her eyes back to him.

"All set?"

She gives his hand a squeeze of affirmation, lifting onto her toes to swipe her lips over his. "Let's get out of here, Castle."

He whispers it again as they step onto the street, letting the wind carry the words away.

" _Best IWWOC ever._ "

She's inclined to agree.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you to everyone for remembering and loving this universe the way I do. I hope to have more of these oneshots to come._

_Also just a note: As I looked up the details, I was reminded that - unlike Vegas - there are no drive-thru/quickie wedding places in Atlantic City. Hence the bit of fudging done to make sure this marriage happened the way the universe wanted it to happen. Hopefully nobody's too angry with me for that._


End file.
